2. Amazing ambience

Charming, casual beach bungalows, beach massage huts and restaurants make up much of the beach-front, giving it a very personal feel. If you like, you can spend your entire Koh Samui vacation supporting Choeng Mon’s many local and family businesses.

3. Total convenience

Just 10 seconds’ walk to the village on the high street, you can buy anything you need or have forgotten – beach tennis? More sunscreen? Another book? Choeng Mon’s high street has all the services you could need: laundry, banks, car rental shops, pharmacies, etc.

4. Top secret?

Spending time on Choeng Mon Beach still feels like you know a really good secret. It feels very “tucked away”.

5. Huge choice of accommodation

Choeng Mon Beach draws a happy crowd of all ages – both families and couples alike. Coming to Samui with kids? Choeng Mon sand makes perfect castles. Its great choice of hotels offers something for the high-rolling honeymooner, sweet family or frugal flash-packer. Five of my favourite Choeng Mon hotels include:

Directly on Choeng Mon Beach, SALA Samui is very family-friendly but is just as popular with honeymooners. An unlikely but magic combo – I don’t know how they pull it off. In addition to a family pool and an adults’ pool, many suites have their own plunge pools.

If you need your hotel to be shiny, brand spanking new, this is not your hotel. If you love charm, character and staff so lovely you’ll try to kidnap them and keep them forever, you’ll soon become one of White House Resort & Spa’s legions of adoring fans (many of whom return year after year).

I might put Honey Cottages in the “two-ish” star range, but – as with many independent hotels in Thailand – this is not to its discredit. If you’re a beach fanatic excited for your sun-bed, sand castles and tiki-torch happy hour … skip the high thread-count linens and head to Honey. It’s one of my favourite spots on Koh Samui.

6. Extraordinary beach dining

There’s fine dining at both ends of the beach, and casual breakfast and lunches in between. You can eat every meal with your feet in the sand.

Discover casual beach spots, places with amazing views and favourite restaurants for celebrating special occasions (and more) – find them all in The Koh Samui Guide. I’m the greediest person I know – and I’ve been researching Koh Samui’s food constantly for fifteen years.

7. The perfect size

Choeng Mon Beach is long enough to make a lovely stroll at sunset. But – it’s small enough to walk everywhere (unlike Maenam beach, which is more spread out).

8. Ideal proximity

Choeng Mon is close to Koh Samui Airport, just a few minutes’ drive, so your holiday starts sooner – and you can sleep in later for a crack-of-dawn departing flight.

9. Unexpected choice of food

A great selection of restaurants – there’s Thai, of course, but lots of other cuisine choices, too. Indian, pizza, Korean, etc.

10. Immediate access

Though Choeng Mon has a quiet main road, it’s close to the ring road – just a short drive in either direction to larger Chaweng and delightful Fisherman’s Village. Go ahead and plan to visit your neighbours!

To completely get your bearings on the island – find everything you need to know in The Koh Samui Guide. Checklists … maps … all that Organised Person Happy Place stuff is included, too!

11. The freshest seafood

Eat fresh seafood on the beach every night. If you get up early (not long after sunrise) you can watch fishermen at work. Then, at dusk, stroll along and choose a handsome looking fish and choose exactly how you’d like it cooked. Grilled? Fried? Steamed with tamarind?

12. Choeng Mon’s secret sunsets

Not every beach on Samui can offer you a sunset – but, more often than not, Choeng Mon puts on a good show.

So how to plan your perfect trip?

For beach-by-beach comparisons around Koh Samui, hotel ideas and tips for renting private villas, The Koh Samui Guide is invaluable in your trip-planning and your best friend when you get here. Enjoy!